Pharmacist Penalized for Withholding Birth Control
Patients's Right to Access Health Care Is Pharmacy Board's "Overriding Concern"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kelda Helen Roys
(608) 213-4502
Madison, WI- Yesterday, Wisconsin's Pharmacy Examining Board (PEB) disciplined pharmacist Neil Noesen, who refused to refill or transfer a Menomonie woman's prescription for oral contraceptives. The Board's decision confirmed that Noesen violated Wisconsin law, "engaged in practice that constitute[d] a danger to the health, welfare, or safety of a patient," and "substantially depart[ed] from the standard of care."
As the final step in disciplinary proceedings against Noesen, the PEB's ruling sends an unmistakable warning to health care providers that placing their personal beliefs above their patients' health care needs is unlawful and dangerous.
"This case is an important victory for patient health and rights," said Kelda Helen Roys, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, "but the battle for access to basic health care for women continues." Several bills currently pending in the state legislature would jeopardize patient health and drastically cut off access to needed information and care, based solely on a provider's personal beliefs.
PEB Chair Mike Bettiga said the decision sends a clear message to the legislature that there must be a continuance of care to properly serve the needs of patients. "It's the patient who ultimately has to receive care, and they own their health care record," said Bettiga. "The overriding concern is the fact that a patient must be take care of."
Birth control is basic preventative health care for women. Over 90 percent of American women use contraception at some point, and millions use hormonal birth control to treat other serious health conditions, such as endometriosis. Though access to effective contraceptives is key to reducing unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion, anti-choice legislators are attempting to restrict access to birth control.
Following are a few current legislative proposals that would harm patients and cut off access to care:
-Patient Abandonment Bill (AB 207, permitting health care providers to refuse to provide information or referrals on treatment options even if the patient could die)
-Prescription Denial Bill (SB 155/AB 285, letting pharmacists pick which prescriptions to fill or transfer based solely on their personal beliefs, regardless of potential patient harm)
-UW Birth Control Ban (LRB 2514/3, making it illegal for UW doctors to prescribe, dispense, or advertise some forms of birth control)
Detailed information on reproductive health legislation can be found at www.prochoicewisconsin.org, under "Political Updates." Click here for Political Updates
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, the political arm of Wisconsin's pro-choice movement, works to protect the full range of reproductive health care, including preventing unintended pregnancy, choosing legal abortion, and bearing healthy children.
# # #
| 
